Saturday, February 20, 2016 | By Jess Peer | 167 views
Students were challenged to build a bridge out of mini marshmallows and toothpicks that would be strong enough to withstand an earthquake.
Before we could take on the challenge, we had to determine which shape (triangle or square) was stronger. Using notecards, we made one of each shape and continued to stack books on top of each until one notecard finally collapsed. The demonstration showed that triangles seemed to be the stronger of both shapes, and students used this knowledge in the construction of their bridges.
Each pod was given a bag of mini marshmallows and a box of toothpicks. The only restriction was that the bridge couldn't be longer than a foot. This ensured that the bridges would fit into an "earthquake box." This box, which was used to simulate an earthquake, would ultimately determine which bridges were sturdy or not.
